Hand printing-machine.



JOHN A. SPOONER, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

HAND PRINTING-MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1908.

Application filed November 11, 1905. Serial No. 286,827.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. SPooNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cedar Ra ids, in the county of Linn and State of owa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand Printin Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hand printing by the use of rubber type, and has for its object to produce a convenient machine by which price cards and the like may be quickly and neatly printed, and the type kept in orderly condition without any care on the part of the operator.

The nature of the invention is fully disclosed in the description and claims following, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central, vertical section of the same, looking toward the left. Fig. 3 is a view of the right hand standard and a section of the bail. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bail. Fig. 5 is an end view of the inker.

In the drawing the letter A mayserve to designate the type, which are arranged concentrically about a rotating disk or wheel B. It is to be understood, of course, that the type-blocks are provided with suitable characters, according to the nature of the work to be done, and that these would appear on the faces of all the blocks, as does the letter A, but it has not been deemed necessary to so show them. The ty e are attached to legs O, and each pair of egs has a cross-pin D, which serves as a pivot in a bearing E projecting peripherally from a wheel F. Each bearing is preferably made open, both for convenience in manufacture, and so that the type may be quickly detached and another put in its place, if desired. Normally the type take the position of all but the central lower one in Fig. 1, which is the printing position, the type in this case being depressed by the finger of the operator one quarter turn. To a cross-pin G is attached a coil-spring H, hooked at its other end to a rim of the wheel, or more properly, the spider, F. This spring passes through a slot e in each bearing, and is preferably provided with an open hook to engage the cross-pin, so that the type may be easily detached, as above mentioned. The disk or dial B is suitably attached to the spider, and is provided with a series of holes riage.

1) corresponding to each type, for the purpose of accurately centering the t pe in printing, as will be explained present y.

The mechanism above described is made in duplicate, thus giving a large range of charactors, and serving to balance the type car- Each type-carrier is mounted to turn on a stud I projecting horizontally from a slide J running on a guide-rod K secured to standards L. The standards are connected at the bases by tie-rods M, and are provided with feet Z to rest on a table, or other flat surface. On each stud I, outside each dial, is fixed an arm N, provided with a suitable centering sto A convenient form of stop is shown. t comprises a flat spring O attached to the arm, and provided with a conical center-pin 0. In'the arm near the end is mounted a ush-key P having a lateral shoulder or stu p to rest normally in a notch n in the arm. By pushingin the key the conical pin is forced into one of the holes in the dial, and a turn sidewise on the key locks it in position. This holds the dial rigidly in accurate position to give a clean impression of the lowermost type, on the paper, which is sup osed to rest on the table. Outside of eac of these arms is secured another arm Q, carrying an ink-roll R, the inner face of which contacts with the faces of the type as they pass behind it in the turning of the type-carrier. For convenience in removal the bearings g are made open to take the roll ournals 1, which are held from displacement by latches c.

It will be noted that the type are offset. This permits the operator to insert his finger behind them in printing, and also brings the face of the type squarely on the paper, with the pivot considerably above it.

Extending vertically in each direction from the slide J are arms J with terminal notches j to engage a space-rod S provided with spacing studs 8 projecting alternately and oppositely, as shown. By the rocking of this rod the type-carriage may be moved along its guide-rod step by step, and with perfect uniformity. The space-rod is rocked by means of a pair of finger-levers T and T The former is pivoted on the front tierod, and engages by a stud t with a crank U having a slot a, secured to the space-rod. The other finger-lever is pivoted on the space-rod, and engages its companion finger lever by a stud v. The space-rod is part of a bail, being mounted in arms V and V secured to a rock- This is done in a simple way by extending the arm V forwardly and pivoting to it a cam-lever V adapted to rest on the front tierod. On the same tie-rod is mounted a presser-foot X, which serves to press down tightly on the paper lying below it, and so hold it securely in position. It is also graduated so as to make a convenient guide in placing the paper in position on the table. It has lugs to to take the tie-rod, and is pressed downwardly by a coil spring d, one end of which is secured to the rod and the other takes a shoulder of the presser-foot. The foot may be thrown out of action by lifting it and moving it a little to the left, when it catches and is held by a stud .2 projecting from a collar Z on the stay-rod. The coil-spring f between this collar and the finger-lever is to give sufficient friction to hold the finger-levers successively in their alternating positions.

The machine is manually operated as follows: The paper or card to be printed is first placed in position, with the standards, or the presser resting upon it. By depressing the bail the type-carrier may now be moved sidewise to any desired position, the graduated presser serving as an indicator. If the proper initial type is not the lowermost, the push-key is released and the carrier turned until the right type comes down, and set until the impression is made, the type-spring returning the type automatically to normal position. The space-rod is then rocked by one of the finger-levers, and with the other hand the operator slides the type-carrier one space. A new letter is then brought into action in the manner already described, and so on until the line is printed. In case a character on the other dial is wanted, the bail is depressed, and the whole carrier given a half turn, when the selection and operation of the proper character is repeated as above.

The mere rotation of the type-carrier inks the type. Of course if the natural rotation in the act of printing is not suflicient, extra turns may be given the carrier.

The arm Q forms a convenient handle for the operator in moving the type-carrier laterally. To rotate the disk, any one of the type-bearings furnishes a convenient fingerpiece.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a printing machine, the combination of one or more rotating typecarriers, a slide on which said carrier is mounted, a suitable support for said slide and a series of types pivoted to said carrier near its periphery and adapted to swing radially, a spring to restore each type to normal position, each of said type being provided with an offset to carry its printing face out some distance from the face of the carrier and admit the operators finger therein.

2. The combination in a hand printing machine, of a pair of circular and rotating type-carriers, a slide on which they are mounted, a guide-rod for the slide adapted to permit the rotation of the type-carriers in the plane of their axes, arms extending oppositely from the slide, and a movable rod adapted to engage said arms and hold the carriers in alternative printing positions.

3. In a printing machine, a pair of typecarriers revoluble in planes parallel with the line to be written, a laterally movable slide on which the carriers are mounted, and adapted to turn in the plane of their axes, and a guide-rod supporting said slide.

4. In a printing machine, the combination of a laterally movable slide, type-carriers revoluble in a plane parallel with said lateral movement and also in the plane of their axes, an oscillating space-rod with alternating studs to engage said slide, and means for oscillating the same to allow for a step-by-step movement of the carrier and slide.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. SPOONER. I/Vitnesses:

J. M. Sr. JoHN, F. J. KUBIEH. 

